In San Diego, Calif., sophomore starter Stephen Strasburg
highlighted the Aztecs’ rout by allowing two runs, five hits,
one walk and fanning seven in eight innings as San Diego State
defeated San Diego 11-2 Friday evening at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
In a highly anticipated meeting of aces, Strasburg stole the
show by out-pitching Toreros’ preseason All-American Brian
Matusz. Matusz, the University of San Diego junior, was knocked
out of the game in the fifth inning and ultimately was charged
with six earned runs, eight hits and four walks over 4.2
innings. He struck out six. San Diego State's offense racked up
16 hits and was led by a 3-for-4 performance from their best
offensive player, third baseman Nick Romero. Romero connected on
a three-run homer off Matusz in the third inning and tallied
four RBI.

Strasburg, the highly-touted right-hander, got off to a slow
start. In the first inning, he surrendered a leadoff walk on
five pitches to Kevin Muno and gave up a one-out single to Sean
Nicol. Strasburg buckled down and got out of the jam by striking
out All-American Josh Romanski looking and getting freshman
Victor Sanchez to hit into a fielder’s choice. Meanwhile Matusz
started the game on fire by striking out the side in the first
inning. The southpaw did a marvelous job of spotting his
fastball and freezing hitters with his nasty changeup.
Strasburg followed by retiring the side in order in the top of
the second and added two strikeouts, and Matusz pitched another
scoreless frame in the bottom of the inning. Through two
innings, the game had the feel of a pitchers' duel.

Everything changed in the third. With little-ball tactics, the
Toreros got on the board in the top of the inning with two runs
off Strasburg. Kevin Hansen led off with a bloop double to left.
Muno got him over to third with a bunt single that was placed
perfectly down the third base line. Ryan Davis reached base on a
fielder’s choice with another bunt to the pitcher
Strasburg, scoring Hansen from third. The Aztecs pitcher scooped
up the bunt quickly, but couldn't get a clean toss to his
catcher Bubba Ruddy to apply the tag. Nicol came to the plate
next, and Muno stole home from third to give the Toreros a 2-0
lead. It was the last time San Diego would score all night.

In the bottom of the third, the Aztecs took the lead for good by
answering the Toreros’ two-run inning with four runs off Matusz.
Brett Tanos got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning on a
Matusz fastball that barely nicked his jersey. Aztecs shortstop
Troy Hawzawa countered with small ball tactics of his own by
laying down a bunt single to third to put two runners on with no
outs. Romero cleaned the bases by pulling a home run down the
line that sailed over the 340-sign in left-field to give the
Aztecs a 3-2 lead. With one out, Garett Green hit a ground ball
single to left and Brandon Glover drove him in by smoking a
triple to right field.

After the third, Strasburg settled down and retired 14 of his
last 16 batters. He kept the ball down with his fastball, kept
hitters off balanced with his slurve-type of breaking ball and
was efficient with his pitch totals per batter. On the other
side, Matusz never found the rhythm he had in the first. He
struggled with his command and the Aztecs loaded the bases
against him in the fourth before getting out of the inning by
inducing a groundout. He was charged with two more runs in the
fifth that reached base by a walk and a single. After walking
SDSU left fielder Pat Colwell on five pitches, Matusz was pulled
after a first-pitch ball to Tanos. Highly-touted freshman
pitcher Kyle Blair entered the game for USD and served up RBI
singles to both Tanos and Hanzawa, extending the Aztecs’ lead to
6-2.

San Diego State added five
more runs in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Darrin
Campbell to bring the score to 11-2. Hanzawa wound up 3 for 6
with two RBI and two runs. Tanos, the Aztecs’
designated hitter, finished 3 for 4 with a double, two runs and
one RBI.